8-legged race is 4 too many Monday, September 26, 2005BY ALAN SEPINWALLStar-Ledger Staff "THE AMAZING Race" has always been the reality show for people who don't like reality shows, with a premise so ingenious and simple that it didn't need the constant gimmicks other reality shows have to invoke to stay fresh. So why did the "Race" producers feel compelled to twist things up for the eighth season?

Instead of teams of two traveling the globe, now we have families of four. Some are nuclear families with a mom, a dad and small kids (the youngest is , while others include four siblings in their late teens and 20s and a middle-aged father and his three sons-in-law.

This causes several problems right away. First, one of the show's few flaws is that there are too many people to keep track of in the early episodes, and now the number's doubled.

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Second, past casts have featured all kinds of interesting combinations -- mothers and sons, siblings, husbands and wives, people who just started dating (and who usually break up during the show) -- while this group is more homogenous. There's a middle-aged man competing with his three sons-in-law, and a team of four teen and twentysomething sibs, but virtually every other group is a traditional nuclear family, with the only thing distinguishing them their ages and accents.

Also, a good chunk of the show's appeal has been as a travelogue, with contestants running through gorgeous landmarks around the globe. The two-hour family edition premiere (tomorrow at 9 p.m., Ch. 2) starts in Manhattan and then stays in Manhattan, then stays in Manhattan again, then features a jaunt down the Jersey Turnpike (where the smarter teams stop for directions at the Vince Lombardi service area), then stops in Philly before a jaunt through Pennsylvania Dutch country.

This may be the longest single stretch within U.S. borders in the show's history, and resembles a family car trip more than an exciting international race. Rumors have abounded that the teams will only get as far as Central America this year, probably to spare the younger kids (including an 8-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl) from the rigors of constant travel.

The good news is that certain parts of the show are tinker-proof. The challenges are still inventive and geographically appropriate (they have to buy hot dogs on 91st & Lex and race carriages in Lancaster, Pa.). And while the show has generally favored teams with greater strength or athleticism, it doesn't look in the early going like the teams with small children are at a significant disadvantage. (If anything, the kids prove useful during the carriage race, since they're lighter and easier to pull.)

Maybe in a few weeks, when the numbers have dwindled from 44 to, say, 28, and the contestants have gone somewhere that requires a passport, it'll be easier to tell whether the family idea should be repeated in the future.

But right now, it's disconcerting that the highlight of the premiere was the sight of two former contestants handing out clues at the hot dog stand and looking increasingly dismayed -- either because they think the new format is odd or, more likely, because only one person recognized them.

What to watch Tuesday• TV's best reality show, The Amazing Race (CBS, Tuesday, 9 ET/PT), launches its Family Edition with a decent but less-than-amazing start that travels all the way from Brooklyn to Pennsylvania. The show has replaced its usual teams of two with teams of four, all family members. Only two of them, however, have small children.Let's start with the good news. Tonight's premiere is free of the Rob-and-Amber-inspired, overly competitive ugliness that marred the last Race. Indeed, the 10 teams are cooperative, though you know that's bound to change.

As always, there is some internal bickering among the teams. But tonight at least, there are no scenes of parents screaming at kids — the kind of race-inspired bad behavior that had been a pre-Race concern. In fact, instead of child abuse, what you get tonight is parent abuse, particularly from two teenage boys who scream insults and orders at their mom and dad pretty much non-stop.

The real problem tonight isn't the racers, it's the race track. What's missing is the joy of travel and discovery, of interacting with other cultures and seeing new sights. By this time in the last Race, we were already zip-lining through the mountains of Peru. Somehow, crossing the Delaware in rowboats and pulling Amish buggies over a Pennsylvania farm just doesn't measure up. If you want to amaze us, folks, you'd better get moving.

The Linz family of Cincinnati is fielding a team of siblings in “The Amazing Race: Family Edition.” It includes, from left, youngest brother Tommy, Megan, Alex and Nick.

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Terri Linz, 52, of Anderson Township, says she briefly considered joining her children as part of their team for "The Amazing Race."

"It was a passing thought. But it passed very quickly," she said with a laugh.

"As I have said, I myself have been on an 'amazing race' for the past 28 years."

Terri and her husband, Tom, have raised seven kids - six sons and a daughter - with the middle four selected to compete in CBS' "The Amazing Race: Family Edition," which has a two-hour debut at 9 tonight on WKRC-TV (Channel 12).

The Linz family team consists of:

Nick, 24, a salesman from Buffalo, N.Y.;

Alex, 23, an emergency room technician now living at home waiting on medical school applications;

Megan, 21, a junior at Miami University;

Tommy (aka "Bone"), 19, a sophomore at Miami.

In tonight's debut, part of which was made available for review, viewers will see a couple of Cincinnati-related T-shirt logos worn by the Linz team.

Bone sports a bright blue "St. X" T-shirt and there is a shot of Alex with an orange "Who Dey" shirt.

Terri says her children borrowed the Bengals' fan chant.

"They call themselves the 'Who Dey' team. They were yelling that when they were racing."

Terri said her sons all went to

St. Xavier High School. Megan is

a St. Ursula grad.

Viewers will see an easygoing hometown team they can root for. The Linz siblings come off as a fun group, often wise-cracking and good-naturedly cutting up with each other.

They even manage to get a classic fart joke in the debut. They seem competitive, but not to the point where they are going to let the heated, grueling race stop them from enjoying the experience.

"I think they gave it their best shot. They are all happy kids and competitive kids, if that's the edge," Terri said.

The series, a three-time Emmy winner for best reality show, seems to have hit on a winning concept with the family edition, which features 10 four-member teams with everyone somehow related, instead of the usual two-member teams.

For example, there are several families that include mom, dad and their two kids; also, a widow with her three daughters; a father with his three sons-in-law and a father with his three daughters.

The Linz team is one of just two made up entirely of siblings.

Terri says the family was actually recruited when a casting scout noticed the Linz clan on a family vacation last Christmas.

"Life's luck," she said.

"We were all on vacation in Cancun over the holidays and we really had not done that for years. We were at the airport waiting to come back to Cincinnati and a casting director mentioned the show to them and let them be aware of it, so they pursued it."

After sending off a DVD entry, the four were invited to Chicago for interviews.

Later, they were informed they had made the show and given a date earlier this summer to be ready, but were not told the destination until they arrived at the airport.

"They didn't know until the last minute when we put them on the plane where they were going," Terri said.

"The security man looked at me and said, 'Where are your kids going?' I said, 'You know what? I really have no idea.' He looked at me like, 'What kind of mother are you?' "

In fact, they went to New York City where this edition of "Amazing Race" starts out.

With the family theme, the initial destinations in Tuesday's debut include some down-home, Americana locations.

Having the Linz siblings on the reality show gives tri-state TV audiences two local favorites to root for on both of CBS' long-running, highly rated reality shows this season. Maysville native Cindy Hall, who has lived in Naples, Fla., the past 10 years, is a contestant on "Survivor Guatemala," which debuted Sept 15. (Please see story on Page 1.)

Cincinnati has often been CBS' No. 1 market for "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race."

A Channel 12 spokeswoman says Cincinnati was the highest-rated market for "Race" during its last edition. It has been a perennial leader for "Survivor," although the Cincinnati market dropped to ninth in the second episode last week after leading the nation in the Sept. 15 debut.

Terri Linz acknowledges she was only vaguely aware of "The Amazing Race" and never has watched it. She has been amazed at how many fans of the show she has run into who are excited about the local team.

"I'm finding neighbors, an old past friend, or a teacher who are saying, 'I saw your children are going to be on.'

"I've been blown away by so many people telling me it's one of their favorite shows."

Now Terri is gearing up for the emotional roller coaster ride any parent might expect to experience when their kids are on national TV: Will they live up to expectations?

"These are four very different personalities, so I think it's going to be pretty crazy," she said.

"I hope I'm not hiding wearing sunglasses when I walk around Cincinnati."

CBS's The Amazing Race: Family Edition will feature a local rooting interest, but Tampa Bay area viewers might not even know it.

Among the family teams charging off across the globe in a race for a million dollars will be Linda Weaver of Ormond Beach and her three children, Rebecca, 19, Rachel, 16, and Rolly, 14.

But Weaver wasn't always a Weaver, and she wasn't always from Ormond Beach. Her mom, Lois Draper, said Weaver was raised in St. Petersburg and graduated from Northeast High School. Back then, she was Linda Scarbrough, one of Draper's four daughters, along with older sister Marcia and younger sisters Debbie and Marti.

Draper said her daughter is forbidden by CBS from doing interviews, but the network confirmed her identity.

In tonight's season premiere, airing at 9 on WTSP-Ch. 10, the Weaver family provides one of the most exciting moments, an encounter with an Amish buggy.

Weaver, 47, was widowed in February 2004 when her husband, Roy, was run over while picking up debris from the racetrack during an IPOWER Dash Series race at Daytona International Speedway, where he worked. She and her children discuss his death onscreen and share their religious faith; Weaver prays aloud twice during the first episode, asking for divine aid.

Draper said she isn't surprised to see her daughter on the show.

"She's such a vivacious type person, a daring type person, she'll try anything," Draper said. "I'm thrilled to death about it, but she can't tell me anything about how it comes out. Not a thing."

CBS cut short the preview episode mailed to critics in advance of tonight's airing, to keep the ending secret, but the Weavers were doing well leading up to the close.

Draper, who now lives in North Carolina, said her daughter moved from the area shortly after she was married 20 years ago.

* * *

One coincidence on Amazing Race highlights the continued underrepresentation of minorities on network reality shows. The only black family selected to compete is the Black family: Reggie and Kimberly Black, of Woodbridge, Va., and their sons, Kenneth and Austin. When any family is onscreen, producers identify them by posting the family name prominently in the lower right corner of the screen. So every time Reggie and Kimberly get screen time, viewers are reminded they're the "Black Family."

Linda Weaver, 46, daughters Rebecca, 19, Rachel, 16, and son, 14-year-old Rolly, are contestants on the latest season of "The Amazing Race," which premieres tonight at 9 on CBS.

They are the family of Roy Weaver, a race track worker who was killed in an accident last year at Daytona International Speedway.

On the CBS Web site (www.CBS.com), Linda Weaver said she hoped the experience would "alleviate some of the heartache" the family has experienced.

The Weavers will compete against nine other families on "The Amazing Race." This "family edition" is a new twist for the popular show, which sends teams on a mad dash across the globe. The first across the finish line nets $1 million.

The Weavers have declined requests for interviews, citing confidentiality agreements that most reality show contestants are required to abide by. Simply put, they can't tell anyone how they fared.

Patrons of the Rockin' Ranch, where eldest daughter Rebecca tends bar, will gather to party, watch the show and cheer the family on, starting at 7 p.m. The Rockin' Ranch is at 801 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach. For details, call (386) 673-0904.

The top-rated reality series returns tonight with The Amazing Race 8: Family Edition (at 8 on CTV, Cable 2, and at 10 on CBS, Cable 6). The big twist: Four- instead of two-member teams, and all of the teammates have to be part of the same family. Some are traditional families (parents and kids), some blended families (newly married with stepkids). There are also four sisters, four brothers, engaged couples and in-laws.

At first, this idea makes total sense. Anybody who has ever tried to drive their entire family to, say, Disneyland from Edmonton and back again knows all about real drama. It's basically Survivor: The Home Edition.

Having screened most of tonight's premiere (CBS sent critics a tape missing the first-leg finish line), however, the idea isn't as much fun as I thought it would be.

The problem may be with the casting. Like all reality series, casting great villains, heroes and boneheads is key. More than half the fun of Amazing Race 7 was booing "Romber" (newlyweds "Boston" Rob and Amber) as they weaselled their way around the globe. They got screwed out of certain victory at the last minute when their flight was mysteriously held back - a happy ending for many Race fans.

That jerk Jonathan from Race 6 was another boo-able bad guy. Cousins Charla and Mirna made Race 5 a trip. Those knuckleheads Kevin and Drew were the original racing fools.

With one or two exceptions, the 10 teams that take part in tonight's Race all seem to hail from Blandville, U.S.A.

The biggest exception seems to be the Paolo family from Carmel, New York. Poppa Tony, who has a hard time tonight finding the Brooklyn Bridge, not to mention the state of Pennsylvania, hears nothing but abuse from his two jerky boys in the back seat, D.J., 24, and Brian, 16. Momma Marion referees.

The Black family, from Woodbridge, Virginia, stands out because it literally is the black family. Just in case you still can't tell them apart, they keep chanting, "Go Black Family!"

Another family, the Bransens of Illinois, consist of a dad and his three babe daughters. "I wanna be on that team," cracks a New York bystander.

A couple of families pack adorable tykes. The Gaghans of Connecticut featured Billy, 12, and Carissa, 9. They figure they've got a lock on this Race because they've already been all over Europe. Like they need another million bucks.

All 10 teams come off as one big happy family and that's not good - somebody has to play the bad guy.

The assumption is that the families toting tots are going to get trounced, but that may not be the case. Host Phil Keoghan states early on that pulling together as a family is more important this time than brute physical strength and stamina. Maybe that's true; little Billy and Carissa paddle like pros in tonight's bizarre Crossing the Delaware event, keeping their family near the top of the pack.

The ones who may need more stamina are the viewers. Speed is everything on The Amazing Race, which is cut like a rock video. Teams are flying off in all directions, scurrying in and out of planes, trains and automobiles. CBS keeps flashing their names, but I found it harder keeping track of these larger teams than with the usual couples concept.

Keeping the players straight should get easier as teams get eliminated and strong personalities emerge - if there are any. If the Paolos get turfed tonight, this Race will already have lost its comedy relief.

(CBS) "The Amazing Race" returns to CBS Tuesday night with its first-ever family edition. Ten teams of four will race around the globe as fast as they can for $1 million.

For most of the contestants, it was the adventure of a lifetime, but for the Schroeder family of New Orleans, it turned out to be a dress rehearsal for Hurricane Katrina.

"I think it's a crazy phenomenon that a reality show would prepare you for real life," Char Schroeder says. "But the race absolutely prepared us."

As Hurricane Katrina headed toward New Orleans, the Schroeder family headed out of harm's way.

"When we left, we actually packed our race bags, and ran out with our race bags," she says.

The Schroeders took refuge with friends they met while taping "The Amazing Race," the Rogers family of Shreveport, La.

"The Rogers are the most sensitive and amazing family we ever met," Char Schroeder says.

"Race" host Phil Keoghan says it is a testament of what the show is all about and what makes the show different.

He says, "Having this family version, having teams of four, and families are just very different from, say, couples. We found that out going into this, there was a different kind of spirit on the race. And obviously that extended after the race. That's kind of nice."

Now living in a rental home near Baton Rouge, Mark Schroeder, his children Stassi and Hunter, and their stepmother Char wait to rebuild the home and life they left in New Orleans. The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith accompanied Mark and Char as they returned for the first time to assess the damage.

Mark Schroeder notes, "We grew up on the lakefront and you think, "Is it ever going to be the same.'" Char Schroeder adds, "When we were driving in and seeing the houses, the devastation is so vast."

It was not the homecoming the Schroeders had hoped for. The house they built and moved into as newlyweds six years ago is just beginning to dry out.

"What's all the mud?" asks Char. "That's what came through the dog door and the mail slot," her husband answers.

Muddied floors and mold-stained walls are evident in every room - reminders that the floodwaters of Lake Pontchartrain once filled their home.

"We've been gone two weeks and if I didn't know any better I'd swear we've been gone two years," Mark Shchroeder says. "You know, the mold is going to grow. You just don't expect it to grow up the walls in a week or two."

As they continue to inspect their home, Char asks, "That was our leather sofa?"

"That was our leather sofa," answers her husband with a sad tone in his voice.

Most of what's left will be discarded. Spared were the items above water level: family photos on a shelf, artwork on the walls, many painted by Mark himself.

"Looks like the paintings are all OK," he says.

"Yeah, Venetian-Orleans," Char says.

The painting entitled Venetian-Orleans is Mark's interpretation of how his city would look after a great flood.

He says, "Prints were made of it and I was sending them to everyone in the race, and they were saying I was a prophet somehow. But if you look at the painting, the painting's upbeat. The parade is going on; Mardi Gras is going on; and people are having a good time."

Like his painting, and despite the damage done to the home he designed, Mark Schroeder is optimistic about both the future of New Orleans and his family.

He says, "We had the most wonderfully bonding experience in the world, and now we've had the most horrific bonding experience in the world. So, we couldn't get much closer."

The Schroeders can's say how they fared in the game but host Keoghan says the Schroeder young people, like the other children in the show, were able to hold their own in the competition. If anything, he says, the kids are more fit than some of the older people who have been in the show.

The Gaghan family, for example, is composed of "fitness freaks," Keoghan says. "I mean the youngest, who is 9, can run a seven-minute mile. I mean most 40-year-old men have bum knees and beer bellies and can't run seven-minute miles. On one hand, they're at a disadvantage because they are kids and they haven't got same sort of maturity. But if you want to just look at fitness and enthusiasm and energy, the Gaghan family is extremely fit and feisty."

Other families that viewers should watch out for are the Garluski sisters. "They are just loud, competitive. They range in age from 26 to 42," Keoghan says. "They talk over each other all the time. They love pink. Every time I would see them, they would be in these pink T-shirts. By the end of the first leg, they were rather smelly - I have to say. But, they're extremely loud and they're going to be a lot of fun to watch."

Also interesting to watch will be the Aiellos, he says. They are the father-in-law with the three sons-in-laws. "The sons have obviously married Tony's young daughters. They're out to prove they're worthy of taking their hands in marriage," Keoghan says.

The show has won its third consecutive Emmy for Best Reality Show. "We need to thank the fans for that. They're the ones that keep watching the show. We thank them for that," Keoghan says.

The host is also on tour promoting his book and the DVD of season one. Visit CBS.com to find out the places he will be visiting. "Ten cities. I just don't have my dad driving like I did last time. I'm actually flying."

"The Amazing Race: Family Edition" premieres with a special two-hour broadcast at 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. Central.

CINCINNATI (AP) - A Cincinnati mom has four reasons to watch tomorrow night's season premiere of "The Amazing Race".

Four of Terry Linz' children, ranging in age from 19 up to 24, are contestants on the first "Family Edition" of the Emmy-winning reality program. They call themselves the "Who Dey" team, and viewers will see them making their way around the world proudly wearing Bengals' shirts.

Their mother says she'll watch the first episode in an undisclosed location with some company: about 200 other people.

C-B-S has asked her to keep the site a secret to help maintain the illusion that the race for a (m) million dollars is still under way. It was actually taped over the summer.

Godlewski family race to amazing finishThe ultimate family adventure kicked off with a lot of feuding during last night's premiere episode of the Amazing Race: Family Edition.

As soon as a monetary prize is waved over people's heads, it's as if their competitive, better-than-thou genes take over and they get rude and obnoxious towards each other and everyone else around them.

This proved to be true at the start of the race in New York, where families like the Paolos kept budding heads and insulting each other. Not only were they bringing themselves down, but they were holding each other from moving forward.

Success in this game is all based on the competitors' ability to work together as a team, that's the only way for them to ensure they get to the finish line and pocket the $1 million US prize.

The 10 teams, each consisting of four players, had to drive to a sports store in Soho where they would purchase some camping gear as well as collect their first clue.

After a challenge that saw the teams take part in a traditional folding of the American flag, it was off to a park in Philadelphia where they would camp out overnight.

The next clue took the contestants to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. There they came to a detour, which saw the teams have to complete one of two tasks — one was build it, where the competitors had to put together a house and the other was buggy it, that would see the teams pull a buggy across a field.

The Weaver family, a widow and three kids, partook in the buggy it task, but crashed going downhill after running over Linda, the kids' mother. Luckily for Linda, she fit right under the carriage and didn't get hurt.

The difficulties of working together kept hovering over the Paolo family who were in a constant battle with each other.

"Do something else instead of looking at me like idiots," said Tony, Marion's husband and the father of DJ and Brian.

"This is getting really embarrassing now … I've had enough of this," said Marion after one of her sons called her annoying.

The teams then had to drive to the Rohrer Family Farm, a Mennonite Farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which was the pit stop of this leg of the race. The last team to arrive, in this case it was the Black Family, would be eliminated.

The Godlewski Family took first place and were rewarded with a $20,000 prize.

September 28, 2005The Amazing Race Family Edition – The Cruel Irony Of It AllEarly rumors about the Amazing Race Family Edition suggested that it would be a toned down version of the Amazing Race. However, the premiere episode revealed that even through there might be an absence of exotic locales on this Amazing Race, the racers are still facing grueling and sometimes dangerous challenges. Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of the Amazing Race Family Edition is that it seems to have a sense of cruel irony.

The most obvious irony is that the sole black family in the competition is actually named The Black Family. The Black Family turns out to be one of the nicest families in the race. Kimberley Black, the mother of The Black Family, states their philosophy as “You don’t have to hurt anybody to get ahead in life, and you don’t have to hurt anybody to win.”

One might also expect the teams with the youngest children to be at a huge disadvantage in the race. However, the toughest competitor in the entire race just might be Carissa, the nine year old girl in the Gaghan Family. Carissa Gaghan tells the camera, “I might be small but I’m not stupid. I can trick any adult that’s trying to trick me.”

The families start the race in New York, and the first family to get really lost is the Palao family. Ironically, the Palao Family is also the only family actually from New York in the competition. One of the first stops for the families is to pick up a clue at a frankfurter stand. The operators of the frankfurter stand turn out to be Kevin & Drew from the Amazing Race 1. Ironically, only one racer appears to actually recognize Kevin & Drew.

The first major challenge the families face is to cross the Delaware river and retrieve an American flag. The river guides warns The Black Family to paddle up river because the currents are strong. Ironically, they appear to be the only family to get the warning and the only family to get caught in the currents.

After camping overnight in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, the families have a detour choice between “buggy it” and “build it.” In “buggy it,” the families have to push and pull an Amish buggy. In “build it,” the families have to build a working water mill. The Weaver Family loses control of their buggy and in the cruelest irony of all the buggy actually runs over Linda Weaver. Of course this series of events was terrifying for the Weaver children, who lost their father when he was run over by a race car while retrieving debris from the Daytona International Speedway.

The Gaghan Family makes up time in the buggy challenge, and in one of the funniest moments of the premiere, the two young children sing “She’ll Be Coming Around The Mountain” as they pass the all male and more athletic Aiello Family.

The Gaghan Family has a lot of competitive drive as they try to reach the pit stop first, but they are passed by the Godlewski Family, who are first to check-in and win $20,000. The Linz Family and The Black Family wind up in a footrace to avoid being last to the check-in point. The Black Family is the last team to arrive and is eliminated from the Amazing Race. We guess the moral of this episode is maybe a strategy of not hurting anybody doesn’t translate into winning in the Amazing Race.

Friday, September 30, 2005Tony Aiello watched the premiere of 'The Amazing Race' Tuesday at Jimmy’s Pub with his family. Mansfield resident Tony Aiello, his wife, Barbara and their children gathered at Jimmy's Pub Tuesday night to watch Tony and his sons-in-law compete in CBS' "The Amazing Race."

The Aiello team includes his sons-in-law, Kevin Kempskie and Matt Hanson of Bellingham, and David Alverson of Providence, R.I.

The Mansfield men made it through the two-hour premiere episode. They traveled through New York City, crossed the Delaware River, camped out and dragged an Amish buggy through the Pennsylvania countryside. They finished the episode in eighth place after getting lost on the way to Lancaster, Pa., but will still be in the race when the show's next episode airs.

Those interested in following Team Aiello can check out the show at www.cbs.com.

Amazing Race -- Family EditionDuring this edition of The Amazing Race, we are keeping track of two families: the Bransen family of Park Ridge and the Godlewski family of Des Plaines. Virginia Soto,COMPARING THE BRANSENS AND THE GODLEWSKIS:

The Chicago contestants are seven blonde women and one white-haired guy. Four sisters in one family and three sisters in the other. Which means it's going to take a while for us to tell them apart (the fact that the Godlewski sisters all wore pink shirts throughout most of the show made things even worse). Let's hope the two families last long enough to give us time to differentiate those seven ladies...

The Bransen girls are Lindsay (20), Lauren (22), and Beth (25). The Godlewski sisters are older: Tricia (26), Christine (37), Sharon (39), and Michelle (41). They also seem to come from different financial backgrounds: while the Bransens are seen playing croquet, the Godlewskis are shown playing pool. To make the difference between the two families more striking: Walter Bransen says his daughters will always be his "little girls." But when some of the conversation turns to the Godlewski sisters, you hear comments such as "silicone implants," "smokers," (both of these comments came from Mark Schroeder) "strong flirts," and the like.

During this first episode, the Bransens went unnoticed by almost everyone, except the hot dog vendors (Drew and Kevin from the first edition of The Amazing Race, who said after looking at two of the sisters that was one team they'd like to be on), and the Schroeders who did say the Bransens could be a tough team to defeat. The Godlewskis, on the other hand, were noticed by almost everybody and interacted with a bunch of people (some of the other families even came up with nicknames for them: the Weavers nicknamed them "the Desperate Housewives" and the Schroeders "the Pink Ladies"). The Godlewskis seemed to be not only respected but liked by most of the other contestants, who followed them when they could and even helped the Godlewski sisters build their tent when they arrived late at the Belmont Plateau. THE BRANSEN FAMILY:

Lauren is identified by Lindsey as the weakest link, or as Lindsey puts it, the "girliest" of the three. But, says Lindsey, Lauren is also the most organized and positive of the sisters.

The three Bransen girls like to joke around and tease each other. They say they call their father "Waldur" and make him the object of their jokes. According to the father, they plan to have fun while participating on The Amazing Race (unfortunately, this may turn out to be their downfall; if you look at the scenery instead of the road signs, you are bound to get lost.)

How did the Bransens do? They were among the last to leave Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn and they were the seventh team to arrive at the Eastern Mountain Sports in SoHo. Then, they were sixth to arrive at the "frank" (hot dog stand) on 91st between Park and Lexington (the father let one of the daughters drive on the way there and she proved quite adept, not letting the Weavers pass her as she drove). Despite this, they still arrived second at Washington Crossing in Pennsylvania (after the Aiellos). How did they manage such a feat? During this leg of the race, the Bransens stopped to ask for directions and to buy a map. BUT, since they asked for directions and bought a map at the beginning of the race and they ended up in sixth/seventh place, that couldn't have been it, or at least, not entirely. For some reason, the producers of The Amazing Race are not focusing their cameras on this family, so a lot of what we say about them has to be learned through deduction (if not downright guesswork). They might have been scared by their poor showing and decided to pay attention. Or they might have gotten good really good directions from whomever they asked. Whatever they reason, once they arrived at the river, the girls, obviously in better shape than their dad, told their father to "Hustle, Wally." (What happened to the "Waldur" nickname?) At the crossing, the teams needed to row a boat across the river to the New Jersey shore and retrieve a Revolutionary flag before returning to the Pennsylvania side of the river. The moment the Bransens got in their boat, however, they became stuck. The father jumped out to see what the problem was, which allowed the Aiellos to move far ahead of them. Still, the moment the boat became unstuck, the Bransens seemed to catch up, which means they must be quite strong physically. Unfortunately, after Lauren retrieved the flag and the Bransens began rowing again, they started losing ground to the Aiellos once more. Maybe the girls had become tired from the physical exertion it took to row the boat that first time -- or at least Lindsay did, since she seemed to be the one taking the brunt of Walter's criticism. The girls told the father to calm down, and after the family finally made it back to the Pennsylvania side of the river (still in second place), they were instructed to drive 34 miles to Philadelphia and find Belmont Plateau, where they would be camping for the night.On their way there, the Bransens got stuck in traffic and they might have gotten lost again, making them come in fourth place, meaning they would leave the next day at 10:30 am instead of 10:00 am. The next morning, a heavy rain falling, they were told to drive 92 miles to Mount Joy, PA to the Brubaker Farms, where they would have to choose their first Detour, "Build It," or "Buggy It." The Bransens apparently got lost AGAIN. We were shown shots of them asking for directions and then we saw them arriving at the Brubaker Farms after the Linzes and the Godlewskis, both of whom left Belmont Plateau half an hour after the Bransens did. Once they got there, however, the Bransens chose to build the watermill (the most popular of the two Detour choices), and did well, finishing the Detour in fourth position. They then had to travel to the Pit Stop at Blue Rock Road and look for the twin, blue silos in the Rohrer Farm, a Mennonite farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The last team to arrive would be eliminated. As the Bransens left Brubaker Farms on their way to Lancaster, Walter mentioned that he thought they're going the wrong way. Lost again. Oh, well. The Bransens finally reached the Pit Stop in seventh place. The family hugged when Phil told them they were still in the race.

How do I think the Bransens are going to do? As is obvious from the recap above, the Bransens' problem is that they have a tendency to get lost when driving around looking for their next clue, a MAJOR roadblock on the way to getting a million dollars on a show like The Amazing Race. WHY they get lost is hard to tell since it wasn't shown on this episode. The producers must have thought it wasn't interesting enough. (I guess that means that when the Bransens get lost, they don't bicker amongst themselves the way the Paolos do; something to be thankful for.) Except for their second-place finish during the Washington Crossing part of the episode, the Bransens were in the middle of the pack most of the time, and most of those times they were either in sixth or seventh place, a very poor showing when there are only ten teams competing. In other words, their future at this point doesn't look too promising. The one ray of hope is that the family analyzed what they did wrong and came up with some ideas to change things for the next leg of the race. As one of the Bransen girls explained, they tend to get distracted watching what the other teams are doing (instead of forgetting about the other families and concentrating on the job at hand), and thus tend to stress out too much.

The Godlewski sisters think their main attribute is that they are going to be underestimated by the other teams. Everybody is going to think of them as dumb blondes and not pay attention to them. (Of course, this "We're going to be underestimated" mantra is something every reality show contestant seems to say at the beginning of every reality show.)

How did they do? From the very beginning, the Godlewski sisters showed that they were a team that had to be taken seriously.

Even though the Gaghans were the first to pack up their car at Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn on the way to Eastern Mountain Sports in SoHo, and the Godlewskis were among the last, next time we saw them, the Godlewskis had already caught up to the Gaghans and were driving behind them (the Godlewskis got stuck at a light the Gaghans managed to make). How did they do it? Well, in one instance, we see second (from the top) sister Sharon, 39, driving the wrong way in a New York City street. (To be fair to Sharon, she might have been following the Weavers and not have realized the mess she was getting into.) They also got a map (smart move), and ended up leaving the store in fourth place. Then they arrived at the frank in fourth place, showing that once they move up, they can keep their momentum. At the hot dog stand, Christine was the one who got the clue. The sisters all said they had been very lucky, and at this point, we hadn't seen enough of the show to know if this was true or if they were just being polite. We could tell, however, that they Godlewski sisters were very excited about their chances by the way they talked about New York and about how much they loved the place and how much fun they were having (if they had been dispirited, they probably wouldn't have liked the place that much). After leaving the hot dog stand, the Godlewskis managed to find the George Washington Bridge quite fast. They were now in second place. It's after crossing the bridge that the very capable Godlewski sisters lost track of where they were and got lost (the Chicago plague, we're going to call it, even though the Godlewskis, unlike the Bransens only got lost once). Fortunately for the Godlewskis, the Schroeder family had been following them, so the Godlewskis didn't panic, feeling that if this was an elimination leg, there was still a chance they could make it. (Unbeknownst to them, the Paolo and Linz families were lost, too.) When the Godlewskis reluctantly told each other that they were going to have to turn around and leave "the scenic route" (as the sisters called the road they were on), the Schroeders asked them if they were lost. The Godlewskis admitted to them that they were. The Schroeders, furious, decided to take off and go their own way. It was late by the time the Godlewskis arrived at Washington Crossing. Sharon got all wet retrieving the flag and had to rinse her shirt. By the time the Godlewskis arrived at Belmont Plateau, it was dark. Just about everybody helped the Godlewski sisters set up their tent, and they ended up in eighth place and got a starting time of 11:00 am. The sisters thanked the other contestants for their help by offering them chocolate chip cookies. The next morning, when they left for the Brubaker Farm, the Godlewskis were followed by the Linzes. In the end, it proved beneficial for the Godlewskis, since it was the Linzes who found the farm (it was the Godlewskis who found Mount Joy, though). The Godlewskis once again had moved up in the standings, from eighth to five. By the time they finished the Detour they were in second place. The Godlewskis bickered amongst themselves over the quickest route to take to get to the Pit Stop. Ultimately, their quarreling worked, as the Godlewski sisters stepped onto the mat in first place, screaming and cheering wildly (Phil asked them if they always talked over each other). Phil informed the sisters they had won $20,000 for their victory, which meant even more shrieking and cheering.

How do I think they are going to do? I think this first episode shows that the Godlewski sisters not only have great tenacity, but also have an incredible capacity to move ahead in the game. At the Fulton Ferry State Park, they were among the last to leave and yet immediately they moved to the front of the pack. After they got lost finding Washington Crossing and were again at the bottom of the pack, again they immediately moved up and managed to finish first, an INCREDIBLE feat. I think that the Godlewskis are THE team to beat in this competition.

A little aside: I heard someone say that the way the Godlewski sisters praised each other and kept telling the one doing the driving, "You're doing great!" could be as annoying as the Paolos fighting. I don't think so. The Godlewskis went from last to first, so obviously they weren't lying when they praised their sister's driving skills. And they were caught on camera bickering as well, so it's obvious these girls mean what they say. ABOUT THE AMAZING RACE IN GENERAL:

Phil Keoghan has guaranteed us (the viewers) some "good entertainment" in this edition of The Amazing

I would love for him to explain what he meant by that. As people have noted before, The Amazing Race is a show that did not become a hit with the fans until the fifth season, when some changes took place. As Phil himself said, "If there was a weakness to The Amazing Race in the beginning, it was that there was nothing nasty about it, because trainwreck TV works. But people are now turning towards shows like The Amazing Race. It is doing better now than when it was launched -- it's huge." To make a show work you need "colorful" characters. People like, well, "Boston" Rob Mariano. Except The Amazing Race didn't want to bring "famous" or "well-known" people. "People like to see fresh faces. They like to watch ordinary people do extraordinary things," said Phil in an interview to MSNBC. So what did the The Amazing Race producers do? They brought on people like "hardcore and aggressive" Mark Schroeder (their "ordinary" answer to Rob Mariano, I guess), and the Paolo family (their "ordinary" answer to a train wreck). I really think the producers have missed big with their casting choices for this edition of the The Amazing Race. "Boston" Rob might have been cocky. He might have been rude. But he also had a lot of things going for him. He could make things happen. He was a winner. The Paolos are losers. Kids insulting their parents? That's what you call "good entertainment"? Sorry, Phil, but you need to get yourself a new dictionary

Even though they still squirm and grimace watching their one and only episode of “The Amazing Race: Family Edition” or one of the many interviews they’ve done since, the Blacks of Woodbridge are thankful they had a chance to show their family the world, and the world their family.

In a competitive show, which sends 10 teams of four related persons on an international scavenger hunt for $1 million, the Blacks left a muddy footprint on viewers with their understated but clearly visible unity.

“I just think it’s refreshing to see a family that loves each other,” said Kimberly Black.

They may have been the first to leave, but the Blacks - Reggie, 42, Kimberly, 40, Kenneth, 11, and Austin, 8 - were also the first to walk away with life lessons.

An overwhelming outpouring in the last week has won the Blacks plenty of national and regional media attention, a free meal in an airport and letters from well-wishers across the country.

“The best thing about all of this is it teaches the boys you get rewarded for doing the right thing,” said Kimberly, a fifth-grade teacher at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in Alexandria.

Before the show’s 30-day taping this summer, the family talked about teamwork, supporting one another, following directions and doing the right thing, she said. They also prepared to say goodbye to their 2-year-old Jordan, as he stayed with his godmother through the taping.

During taping, they never knew if they were in first place or last, said Reggie, a math teacher at West Potomac High School in Alexandria. They underestimated the speed of the race and tried to stay cool - maybe too cool, he says now - and focus on the task at hand.

The race took them through New York’s Soho Village and onto Pennsylvania. They rowed against a strong current in the Delaware River, they found a campsite in Philadelphia. Because of their positioning, seventh at the time, the family had a later starting time in the morning.

The next day they raced to Mount Joy, Pa., where they opted to build a working water wheel over pushing each other a mile and a half in an Amish buggy.

The choice was suited for the family, they all agreed. Austin, a fourth-grader at Douglas MacArthur, liked the idea because it was life-size, not a table model. Kenneth, a Beville Middle School sixth-grader, said he likes to dig.

“They had the eyes for it, believe it or not,” Reggie said. “They engineered it, we just put it together.”

There was never a point in the race where they thought they were finished, but their effort came up short when they were the last team to arrive at a farm in Lancaster, Pa.

“I was really disappointed and sad,” Kenneth said. “We sent Jordan away for a long time and I was sad because we were the first ones out.”

Viewers never had the chance to see the family’s drive and competitiveness, added his father. The family takes Tae Kwon Do classes together at Jhoon Rhee Institute in Woodbridge.

But since the show last week, fans have had an opportunity to hear from the Blacks through countless television, radio and print interviews, including a dozen radio interviews in three hours Monday morning.

Last week they watched the show’s premier episode crowded around a hotel TV in New York City so they could be in the city for a CBS “The Early Show” interview the next morning.

The Blacks felt pretty special: a limo to the airport, a flight to New York on short notice, a downtown hotel room. In the show’s seven previous seasons, none of the first five eliminated teams were interviewed on the news the next morning, Kimberly said.

Then again, everything about their experience with reality television makes them feel pretty special.

“It was a rewarding feeling to know you represented your family and your hometown and you did a good job,” Reggie said.

Bransen competed on the Emmy-award-winning CBS reality show, "The Amazing Race." The show, which began a new season last week, puts contestants on a fast-paced adventure to $1 million. Two-person teams of couples or friends typically are featured on the reality show, but this season the teams are families. It is the first time in eight seasons the usual 11 teams of two have become 10 families of four.

Standing near New York Harbor, host Phil Keoghan greeted the families on the opening episode. After his traditional eyebrow raise and arm signal, the teams frantically dashed to their first clue waiting alongside their bags.

Last Tuesday's premiere showed the families starting in New York City, crossing the Delaware River and ending up in Lancaster, Pa.

West Michigan connection

The Bransen family team, from Park Ridge, Ill., features proud pop Walter, 51, and his three beautiful blonde daughters who were in a Pert shampoo commercial a couple of years ago. His 22-year-old daughter Lauren recently graduated from Hope College while Lindsay, 20, is a student there. The eldest daughter Elizabeth, 25, completes the team.

When contacted by The Press, Lindsay said she wasn't allowed to say anything about her experiences on the show. Mom Judy could, though.

"I don't watch much TV and don't care much for most reality TV programs, but no way will I miss a minute of this show," she said.

The proud mom watched the opening episode with family and friends (including 11 Hope College friends of Lindsay's) at a Chicago restaurant.

She said the audition process of competing against 20,000 other applicants was grueling, but the family made it through cut after cut.

"They had to complete numerous aptitude, personality and I.Q. tests before the final meeting with the head of CBS-TV, where they were told they had finally made the show," she saidFamily traits

According to the show's Web site, Walter admits to being the self-proclaimed leader of the group.

Married for 31 years, he works as a CFO and is a native of Chicago. He describes himself as reserved and analytical. He is also a history buff who is especially knowledgeable about Abraham Lincoln.

Elizabeth recently received a master's in social work from the University of Illinois. She and Walter have similar personalities, and sometimes their stubbornness causes friction..

Lauren earned a bachelor's degree in communications and business management from Hope College. Punctual and adaptable, Lauren admits she can be impatient.

Lindsay, the youngest of the sisters, teases that her older sisters are always telling her what to do.

Mom Judy says she thinks the team will do well together because they are very close, and there is great chemistry between the girls and Dad.

"This is a really good show, the premise is nice, and it isn't off color. Contestants need to rely on instinct -- one wrong turn and they can move from second place to last.

"I was nervous that they might get eliminated, but they came in seventh place on the first episode," Judy Bransen said.

Last update: October 10, 2005 at 5:31 PMKids are leading the way -- 'Amazing' Neal Justin, Star Tribune October 11, 2005 AMAZING1011

Reality TV makes for a poor children's playground, unless you believe the future of America will depend on diving into vats of spiders, living off cold rice on a desert island or making out with complete strangers.

But "The Amazing Race," which last month won its third Emmy in a row for best reality program, is one of the few G-rated shows left on broadcast television, which makes this season's family edition an appropriate, and delightful, twist.

It features 10 teams of four related members, racing across the world for a $1 million prize. Among the competitors: 9-year-old blond Carissa Gaghan and 8-year-old Austin Black. In the early days of the contest, families crossed the Delaware River by boat, built a water wheel in Amish country and participated in a Civil War reenactment.

season premiere of "The Amazing Race: Family Edition."Robert VoetsCbsTo date, no one has eaten sushi off a naked woman or had to deal with Corey Feldman. And it's unlikely anyone will.

"We've never relied on exploiting people," said host Phil Keoghan, who was in Minneapolis last week promoting the show and his book "No Opportunity Wasted," a self-help manual. "It's a feel-good show."

That description contributed to the show's slow start out of the gate. Since its premiere in 2001, the show has struggled to attract the kind of ratings and media attention that goes to more sinister fare.

The series didn't attain gold-medal ratings until last season (the show's seventh) when conniving "Survivor" veterans Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich were added to the mix.

Rob and Amber aren't exactly role models for kids. In the current edition, one family features two sons who constantly belittle their mother.

But Keoghan said he's not worried about exposing young competitors -- and young viewers -- to all kinds of personalities.

"We choose people who are representative of people in everyday life and not everyone is politically correct," he said. "It's a cruel fact of life. You can't protect them from everything. There are lessons that have to be learned."

Some of those lessons are being taught by the junior participants. In a future episode, a feud develops between two teams and it's the kids who attempt to bridge the gap.

"There's a different kind of energy in this race," Koeghan said. "At the first pit stop, families were going out of their way to help other families. Kids were opening their parents' eyes to the idea of sharing."

Koeghan says one sixth-grade class in Cincinnati has been using the program in its lessons about behavior and morals.

Some core fans have expressed concern that the show may be tamed down this season. Koeghan admits that some past challenges probably wouldn't be allowed this time around (the parachute jumping comes to mind), but he said "Race" is safer than it looks.

"We know the rope they're swinging on is safe because we've tested it 3,000 times," he said. "The most dangerous thing we do is when we allow teams behind the wheel or in a taxi. That's when we lose control."

Koeghan is a little off. The most dangerous stunt in the show's history is inviting kids to participate. If it succeeds, expect a lot more family fun in the future. If it flops, stay tuned for increased bickering.

From some pretty reliable spoiler information posted on various boards since July 7 it now looks like all TEN teams make it to Huntsville, Alambama (NASA space camp?) at the end of which will be the FIRSTelimination. So that is going to be a douzzy of an opening show on September 27: New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, South Carolina to Huntsville, Alabama!

From the descriptions and other pretty reliable sightings in Toronto and Montreal it looks like the four Godlewski Sisters make it that far (a team of four girls was spotted in downtown Toronoto) and either the Weavers or Bransens also make it to Montreal (team with adult and three children spotted but not further identified.) Also it looks like the Black Family does not make it to the final five (all white familes supposedly spotted.)

Gman ..do you know where the "Montreal (team with adult and three children spotted but not further identified." came from ?

Slowhatch ..thanks you |#' , if I'm reading this right filming was over 3 days ??

Panama reality

Writing | Live, Critic in line

International production.

Panama becomes scene of an international___ production again, as soon as they were filmed, some chapters of reality show__ Amazing Race, three winning series of Emmys.

Amazing Race __Panama___ was recorded ____in attractive leases around the capital and will show to the tourist___ enchantments and the ___economic dynamism in the creeks of the Panama Canal.

The program was co-produced by the equipment of Verite Productions, Panamanian__ tens___ of producers and professionals who collaborated, during three days with recognized the producing North Americans Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri de World Race Productions.This program is one of most popular of the television in the United States, with a hearing considered in 70 million people.

Amazing Race consists of teams of participants who discover tracks that take them sites to different from interest. Throughout their passage by the world disqualifications take place while the winners approach the longed for prize of a million dollars.

This Tuesday 25, chain CBS releases the chapter filmed in our country and it will be possible to be seen in Panama by Channel 78 of the Cable.

Bronx Sanitation worker Tony Paolo, his wife and two sons are one of 10 families competing for $1 million on the hit CBS reality series Amazing Race.

Talk about your ultimate vacations. One of the Dept. of Sanitation’s Bronx employees has taken his family on a trip throughout North America as part of a special version of the three-time Emmy award winning reality series Amazing Race.

Tony Paolo, who grew up in Italy, moved to the Bronx and is now a Sanitation worker with a trash pickup route in Country Club, has joined his wife Marion and two sons, DJ and Brian, as one of 10 families that will battle it out on television every Tuesday night in a race through various countries for a $1 million prize.

“This was a dream come true for our family,” said Tony’s sister Donna Murano, of Country Club, the spokesperson for the family, who cannot speak until they have either been eliminated from the contest or are announced the winners. “His wife is such a devoted fan of the show and has been watching since it first aired,” Murano continued. “She saw that they were looking for families and they decided to take a chance.”

The Paolo family filled out an application from the show’s website and then shot a video to be sent to CBS for possible selection. DJ was not involved in the original video. The oldest son had just recovered from breaking his ankle and was worried he would hold the team back, so Murano’s eldest daughter filled in, but upon viewing the video and reading the profile about the family, representatives from Amazing Race: Family Edition asked that the Paolos to reconsider using DJ in the contest. The video was re-shot and the Paolos were selected as one of the families in the show.

“They couldn’t believe it,” said Murano. “They were so excited, but they couldn’t talk about it. It was sort of an underground happiness. They could not discuss it at all and they told everyone they were just going on vacation. They were gone the entire month of July to shoot the show and when we found out about it and saw them on television, it was just a wonderful sight---very surreal.”

According to the show’s website, producers see the Paolos as a family that frequently bickers, but loves each other very much. Tony, 52, describes himself as a hardworking and charismatic and says the most exciting moment of his life was coming to the United States from Italy. Marion, 52, is a proud homemaker who considers herself to be persevering and hardheaded. Her biggest pet peeve about Tony is that he lets his sons get away with too much.

DJ, 24, works in title report production and is spontaneous and stubborn. He admits to having a fear of heights as well as a big mouth. His brother, Brian, 16, is entering his senior year of high school and is painfully embarrassed by his family. He’s convinced he’s the only sane one in the bunch. Both sons think their mother will not be able to last long in the race.

These traits were on display throughout the first two episodes, but was the Paolo family fairly depicted? “There was a lot of editing done,” said Murano. “They admitted to bickering a lot, but they could have shown the viewing audience how they were when they were not arguing. I guess it is to be expected. This is television and you have to make it exciting, but we are very passionate people and when we make up, we are just as passionate as when we argue. Hopefully, viewers will get to see that as the shows go on.”

Murano has no idea how her family did in the race. She watched, just like everyone else, as the 10 families readied themselves for the start of the race in Manhattan, finding their way through crowded streets, searching for clues and overcoming obstacles and challenges as they go from one location to the next. In Pennsylvania, families had to paddle a rowboat across the Delaware River, the same spot General George Washington famously crossed during the Revolutionary War. Families then had to choose between building a miniature working water mill or pulling a traditional Amish buggy along a 1.5-mile course.

Watching it all unfold was an unnerving experience for Murano. “It is so strange,” she said. “I get together with my sister, and our two families have watched the show for the past few weeks. We were on pins and needles the whole time. They were in last place the whole time, fighting not to be eliminated and we were like, ‘Oh Lord, they are not going to make it,’ but they always pulled it off. They are still on the show, but it is so nerve wracking. You don’t want to watch, but then you can’t help, but to watch.”

As for their chances: “I don’t have a clue,” said Murano. “Tony’s a garbage man. He’s strong and he walks a lot. I am rooting them on and I hope they win it all, but either way, I am just so proud of them.”

Amazing Race can be seen locally on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Channel 2. For more information, go to www.cbs.com.

Premise: If anyone can tell you how to travel outside your comfort zone, embrace risk, and come back alive, it's the creators, host, and winners of TV's The Amazing Race

"Above all, know that the world is really a very safe place."—The Amazing Race cocreator Bertram van Munster

Read the 12 Travel Tips >>

Out of the gate it looked as if The Amazing Race, the adventure-travel reality-TV show that made its debut September 5, 2001, on CBS, might end up a one-season wonder. "When I saw the billboards [advertising the series] in lower Manhattan coated in ash from the World Trade Center, I really thought we were in trouble," recalls the program's cocreator Bertram van Munster. "I mean, who would want to watch a show with all these airplanes?"

Instead of packing it in, The Amazing Race has taken flight and managed over seven subsequent seasons to sustain a word-of-mouth rep as "the thinking person's reality-TV show," even though that sounds oxymoronic to some thinking persons. During each 13-episode run, 11 duos vied for a cool million in cash. (The show's fall format has ten teams of four extended family members.) By the time it's over, the racers have completed up to 30 scavenger hunts, physical or phobia-related challenges, and culturally specific rituals—all while circumnavigating the globe in 29 to 30 days.

It's easy to see why the show has enjoyed a warm critical response: It keeps its reality quotient high, putting everyone, from the contestants to producers to the show's host, Phil Keoghan, out in the chaos of the world. Because it's a race, there's often no chance for a second or third take; the camera crews either get the shot, or they don't. And the clock is ticking for all involved.

"People ask me, 'What do you do when you're not talking?'" says Keoghan, 37, an avid snowboarder and career adventurer. "And they ask as if I've got time on my hands! But the only difference between me and the teams is I know where I'm going next and they don't."

The finish times for the racers can be as far apart as 12 hours, in which case Keoghan has to cool his jets, wait for the last stragglers to check in, and then hustle to keep pace with the front-runners. Often, he'll fall behind the leaders but leapfrog them while they are distracted by a preset "detour." At least half a dozen times, and most notably in Botswana, Keoghan has been running flat out to reach the finish line (a logo'd reception mat) just ahead of the contestants. "For the teams, it's a series of 13 sprints, while for those of us working on the show it's a month-long marathon," Keoghan says.

"It boils down to a show about relationships," says van Munster, who immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. "Everyone can relate to the bickering that happens because that's what happens when you travel with somebody." Once a cameraman for National Geographic television, van Munster is best known for his work on Cops; Wild Things, a short-lived, but influential nature series; and Profiles From the Front Line. The idea for The Amazing Race, he says, came from his wife and coexecutive producer Elise Doganieri. "After college, Elise went on a trip, backpacking for a year with her best friend. They got in a huge fight," he laughs. "But of course she remembers it as the time of her life."

Perhaps the most exceptional thing about The Amazing Race is its inviting worldview. "It seems like all we ever see of the rest of the world is the aftermath of a natural disaster, war, or someone who hates us, burning an American flag," says the expat New Zealander Keoghan, who resides with his wife and daughter in Santa Monica, California. He adds, "Our President is constantly warning people about all the 'evildoers' out there. It's no wonder some Americans think they'll be safer staying home."

Say what you like about The Amazing Race: that its appealing images of exotic locales act as an antidote to war-on-terror hysteria, or that what the show really delivers is a spot-on satire of the breakneck speed at which Americans travel. Either way, the folks responsible for staging the race indisputably know their way around. Doganieri and van Munster typically travel the 35,000-mile (56,327-kilometer) itinerary of the race twice, and sometimes three times, before each contest gets under way. In all, they've visited more than 70 countries, ironing out all the logistics of the show. Their travel savvy, along with advice from Keoghan and season-seven winners Joyce and Uchenna Robinson-Agu, follows. You needn't be racing to put it to good use.

12 Travel Tips From The Amazing RaceBy Phil Keoghan

1. Face your fear. At 19, Keoghan nearly died when he was trapped inside a shipwreck off the coast of New Zealand during a deepwater dive. Once rescued, he wrote out a "life list" of adventures he wanted to have before he really did cross over and then got paid to do many of them as the go-anywhere, try-anything host of TV magazines Phil Keoghan's Adventure Crazy and Keoghan's Heroes (Keoghan rhymes with Hogan). "A recurring theme when people make their lists," he says, "is that they almost always put down things they've been afraid to try." Keoghan encourages everyone to make these a priority. "I can't tell you the number of times someone has done something they feared and then found themselves able to make other major life decisions," he says. It's corny, he admits, but it works. (For the record, Keoghan is claustrophobic, but he adds, "I've managed to push the fear back. It doesn't inhibit me." His therapy? Diving to one of the world's longest known underwater tunnels, Nohoch Nah Chich, under the Yucatán jungle.)

2. Don't panic. "When you're trying something you've never done before, most people find themselves really hyper about being in a situation that's out of control," says Joyce, who watched the show prior to appearing on it. "We learned not to get so excited about everything because there are going to be a lot of new things coming at you all the time."

3. Pack for one week. "Whether I'm going out for a week or several months, I only ever pack for a week," says Keoghan. "Because you don't want to be weighed down, and you can always wash up."

4. Have a plan before you clear customs. If you aren't sure where you're going, ask for information in the airport before you pass through security into the public waiting areas. And get the map.

6. Avoid checking bags. Or, if you can't get yourself down to one carry-on, keep your total number of bags to an absolute minimum. The more items you have, the more you have to keep track of, and the more you stand to lose. "It's in the belly of the plane that things can start to go bad," van Munster warns.

7. Never share a taxi with a stranger (especially at the airport). In all his travels, van Munster has only been abducted once, in Calcutta, India, when, against his own better judgment, he got in a cab with a driver and "the owner" of the cab, who refused to surrender the backseat when asked. Turns out, "the owner" had told the driver that he was with van Munster's crew and moments later hijacked the ride. Fortunately, a journalist friend had been looking out the back of his taxi, which was ahead of van Munster's, and he noticed when the trailing cab disappeared. Van Munster was found by his team in a Calcutta slum two hours later, stripped to his briefs, but otherwise fine. (Corollary to #7: Don't have someone meet you at the airport with a sign bearing your name, van Munster says. You'll be a target for hustlers.)

8. There is no simple, over-the-counter solution for jet lag.

9. Never wear shorts. At least, not if you're male and not if you leave the grounds of a resort, the trail, or the beach. "I recommend lightweight long pants," says van Munster. "They're protection against mosquitoes, fleas, dog bites, snakebites.... Many people take malaria drugs, but I don't. I just keep covered, and I blend in, because in most places adult men wear long pants." Also, avoid matching outfits. This verily screams "tourist."

11. If you must, panhandle from fellow travelers. "Being far from home, [other travelers] can commiserate," says Joyce, who, along with Uchenna, was stranded without a dollar in Montego Bay, Jamaica, as a consequence of losing a leg of the race. The departures terminal or lounge may be your best bet: "If they're coming in to the country," Uchenna says, "they'll have a little more money, but they're more apt to hold on because it's got to last their whole trip. If they're on their way home, chances are they'll be a bit looser with it because they know they're not going to need it as much."

12. Always act the guest. If you're respectful of your foreign hosts and try to see things through their eyes, you'll most likely find that you'll be treated hospitably. "People may not like our foreign policy, but people everywhere like Americans," says van Munster. "There really is something of an American spirit, and people are drawn to it. You've got to have confidence in that, and, above all, know that the world is really a very safe place."

When math teacher Reggie Black returned to West Potomac High School after his summer vacation, he had a lot to talk about. Unlike when he left in the spring and could only say that he had to take time off, he could now share a little more information about his family’s trip.As one of the 10 families for this season’s Amazing Race series, they had a summer they will never forget. Although they were eliminated after the first round, they still spent an incredible summer sequestered while the remaining nine families continued their races. This all came about when they decided to try out for this season’s Amazing Race earlier this year. Black said that they weren’t die-hard reality show buffs but wondered what it would be like to travel to different parts of the world."Kim and I don’t watch much TV, but the one show we watched was ‘Amazing Race.’ Once it won an Emmy, it caught our attention," said Reggie Black. "Our everyday schedule is like a race. We used to joke about it and then we decided to try out for the show."

AND SO THE JOURNEY began. They began the interviewing process along with 50,000 other families in late February/early March. Reggie Black said that the interview process was just as stressful as the race, with interviews being held in New York City, Las Vegas and other locations. They had to pull Kenneth and Austin out of school and Kimberly, a fifth-grade teacher at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in Alexandria, had to take time off as well."I’ve been there for 12 years and never take time off," said Kimberly Black. "I couldn’t tell the principal, Debbie Thompson, where I was going, but I told her it was ‘something big.’ She was very supportive."Kimberly Black said that the producers were great and treated them very well. All flights, meals and hotels were paid for throughout the process.When asked if they got discouraged through the selection process, Reggie Black said, "As we kept getting closer, our drive for the races was stronger and stronger. And lo and behold we made it. Once we got the final word, we were very excited and said, ‘Let’s go for it.’"They then started doing some serious preparation for the race. This coincided with the end of the school year, so during the day they still had to stay focused on school and work, but in the evenings., they focused on the race.

THE 10 TEAMS started out in New York City, crossed the Delaware River and ended up in Lancaster, Penn. They had the choice of building a house or pushing a buggy; the Blacks decided to build the house instead. When all was said and done they came in last."We had a good run; nothing to be ashamed of," said Reggie Black. "We didn’t get to the finish line but we worked together and are proud of how we handled ourselves. Don’t feel too bad for us; we were very well taken care of."After they were eliminated they spent the rest of the summer sequestered and they knew what was going on as people connected with the race kept them up to date."It was pretty cultivating; there were no down moments — it was wonderful," said Reggie Black.If there was a downside, it was the fact that they had to leave two-year-old Jordan behind. However, he was well taken care of by Tae Kwon Do families. Tae Kwon Do is something that the entire family participates in with all of the members having achieved a certain level. Kimberly Black said, "If anybody has an opportunity to do it, do it. You just can’t let it control you. We learned how to be strong."And so how does it feel that their more than 15 minutes of fame is over? Well, even though the Blacks were eliminated early they are still much in the public eye. Reggie said that the American public has embraced them with emails and letters. In September, they went to New York City for an interview with the CBS Morning Show.After that they walked the streets of New York City, and Black said, "I was surprised that people knew who we were. They said nice things about our performance."

THIS IS REGGIE BLACK’S second year teaching math at WPHS. Prior to that, he taught math at C.D. Hylton High School in Prince William County for four years. He graduated from Norfolk State University with a degree in mathematics. "He [Mr. Black] is an excellent teacher who can work well with all Algebra students, but especially those who normally have trouble with math," said Rima Vesilind, WPHS principal. "He makes it a personal mission to have each of his students pass the SOLs."Kimberly Black is a fifth-grade teacher in Alexandria. She earned her master's in education from Marymount University. Kenneth is in sixth grade and his favorite hobbies are soccer and Tae Kwon Do; he earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do over two years ago.Austin is in the fourth grade and at 8 years old, he is the youngest contestant ever to compete in the Amazing Race. He has an advanced brown belt in Tae Kwon Do and plans on earning his black belt within the next few months.The Black family lives in Woodbridge. Reggie and Kimberly Black, who met in undergraduate school, have been married for over 17 years.